Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Ravens Rookie OL Emery Jones Returns To Practice

As the injuries begin to tally up for the Ravens, a bit of good news comes their way. Third-round rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones has returned to practice in Baltimore, opening his 21-day practice window to be activated off the reserve/non-football injury list, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Jones underwent surgery a week after the NFL Scouting Combine for a shoulder injury he endured at LSU. The Ravens were aware of the recovery timeline when they drafted him, so they were able to make a plan for his eventual return.

After Jones was drafted to Baltimore, there was plenty of speculation around just how he might contribute to the offense as a rookie. There was some hope that he may develop early into a role as a swing tackle or compete for a starting guard spot.

He started solely at right tackle for the Tigers but had some left tackle experience from high school. As a recruit, he was projected to be an interior lineman at the collegiate level, but he became the starting right tackle at LSU only two games into his true freshman season. As a draft prospect, Jones was, once again, projected for a likely move to the interior of the offensive line, but in Baltimore, it appeared that he would be given a chance to prove his worth at multiple spots.

He was originally expected to return sometime during training camp, but by early August, it became clear that it would be difficult for him to be ready for the regular season, closing any case for him to nab a starting job. It was a decision made by Jones, who opted to wait until he is “fully right” instead of choosing an abbreviated recovery in order to compete for a starting role.

So far, the Ravens seem to be keeping their word in letting him work to earn different roles. Head coach John Harbaugh told the media that they’ll look at Jones at both guard and tackle, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The timing couldn’t be better with left tackle Ronnie Stanley missing practice today after being knocked out of Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs early with an ankle injury.

A look at guard could make just as much sense, considering how left guard Andrew Vorhees currently rates as the Ravens’ worst offensive starter, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) and how right guard Daniel Faalele is often caught on the wrong end of some defensive highlight reels. As Jones ramps up for a return to the active roster, the Ravens will have no shortage of options to see where they may be able to improve most.

Ravens To Sign CB Amani Oruwariye

In need of help at the cornerback spot, the Ravens are adding a veteran ahead of their Week 5 game. A deal has been reached with Amani OruwariyeNFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

Baltimore lost Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins during Sunday’s loss against the Chiefs. It remains unclear at this point if Wiggins will be available for Week 5, but Humphrey is expected to miss multiple games. With free agent addition Jaire Alexander having only played one game so far, it comes as no surprise Baltimore has targeted a signing for depth in the secondary.

Oruwariye has made 61 appearances in the NFL, with 40 of those being starts. The 29-year-old played out his rookie contract with the Lions before seeing time with the Jaguars in 2023 and then the Cowboys last season. His resume includes six interceptions with Detroit in 2021, but since then Oruwariye has not been able to remain a full-time starter or duplicate his past production.

In May, the former fifth-rounder joined the Titans. Oruwariye was among Tennessee’s roster cuts at the end of training camp, but he immediately re-joined the team by taking a spot on the practice roster. Days later, however, the Titans removed him from their taxi squad. Oruwariye remained a free agent through the first month of the campaign, but he has now landed a new opportunity in Baltimore.

If the Ravens are to proceed without Humphrey, Wiggins or Alexander this week, they will rely on a number of backup options at the cornerback spot. Chidobe Awuzie and T.J. Tampa could see a notable workload against Houston, but Oruwariye could handle a small workload as well if he finds himself in the lineup right away. With that said, the Penn State product does not have a track record of heavy usage on special teams.

Baltimore entered Wednesday as a team in need of help at multiple spots on defense. The Ravens currently have $7.61MM in cap space, and adding Oruwariye will lower that figure to a degree. If needed, though, he could turn into a regular defensive presence for a low cost while the rest of the secondary heals.

Lamar Jackson Likely To Miss Week 5; Ravens QB Facing Multi-Week Absence?

OCTOBER 1: Jackson’s availability for Sunday’s game is still “in doubt,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but he characterized the star quarterback’s status as “week-to-week,” referencing and countering Tuesday’s report.

The news will offer some hope to fans in Baltimore, but it still feels like Rush will start in Week 5. If Rapoport is correct, however, he could be back in Week 6 as opposed to Week 8 after the Ravens’ bye

SEPTEMBER 30: The Ravens endured another loss to the Chiefs, this one a one-sided defeat that further exposed issues on Baltimore’s leaky defense. The team carried some excuses, however, as its starting defense was down more than half its bodies by game’s end.

A more pressing matter came when Cooper Rush replaced Lamar Jackson during the second half. Jackson suffered an injury to his right hamstring later deemed a strain, according to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The superstar quarterback could not have returned to the game if it were competitive, with John Harbaugh saying (via Hensley) there was “no way” his top player could have come back during the 37-20 loss.

Jackson is now viewed as unlikely to be ready for Baltimore’s Week 5 contest. He is expected to sit against the Texans, the Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker reports. A two- to three-week absence would be within the realm of possibility, per Wacker. The Ravens face the Rams in Week 6 and have their bye in Week 7. Considering the injuries the Ravens’ defense has sustained, the early bye should prove beneficial.

The Ravens played the Chiefs without Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones and Kyle Van Noy. They then lost Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins during the game. Ronnie Stanley also left the Kansas City matchup, one of the more disastrous Ravens regular-season games in recent memory. Madubuike is out for the season, and the Ravens are expected to be without Smith and Humphrey for a bit.

Hamstring injuries regularly sideline players multiple weeks, with some — like George Kittle‘s Week 1 setback — leading to IR placements. We are not there yet with Jackson, and any Ravens hopes Jackson could be back within a four-game span would undoubtedly lead Baltimore to keep its eighth-year QB on the 53-man roster and go week to week here. But any missed time at quarterback will certainly deal a major blow to the Ravens.

Jackson, 28, rebounded from injury-marred 2021 and ’22 seasons by posting back-to-back first-team All-Pro years. The two-time MVP did not miss any games due to injury in 2023 and ’24, rocketing to a higher level as a passer and effectively ensuring himself Hall of Fame induction down the road. But this setback does remind of those the Raven centerpiece suffered earlier this decade.

A sprained ankle in 2021 led to Jackson being shut down. His 2022 setback — a PCL sprain — generated more attention, as the Ravens had hoped the dual-threat dynamo to return; that never came to fruition. Jackson defended himself against criticism he could have played late that season; the Ravens were eliminated in Round 1 of the playoffs with then-backup Tyler Huntley at the controls. Jackson missed 11 games, counting the wild-card loss to the Bengals, from 2021-22.

Despite struggling against the Chiefs once again, Jackson exited Week 4 with an NFL-most 10 touchdown passes this season. The Ravens signed Rush as their backup this offseason, giving the former Cowboys QB2 a two-year, $6.2MM deal. Rush has made 14 career starts, winning nine.

Despite Cowboys trade acquisition Trey Lance needing game reps, Mike McCarthy primarily used Rush when Dak Prescott went down midseason. Rush went 4-4 as Dallas’ starter last season, posting a 12:5 TD-INT ratio with a 60.7% completion rate and just a 6.0 yards-per-attempt figure. As our Nikhil Mehta pointed out in the Ravens’ Offseason In Review piece, Rush marked a deviation from the franchise — one that had primarily stationed mobile QBs behind Jackson since the Joe Flacco trade. Rush will be a departure from that, and the Baltimore offense would naturally look different with the 31-year-old passer replacing Jackson.

LB Eric Kendricks Visiting Ravens

OCTOBER 1: The Ravens offered Kendricks a spot on their practice squad, but he turned them down, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. That would indicate that Kendricks is seeking a 53-man roster spot (and potentially more than a veteran-minimum salary) and is trying to use the leverage of Smith’s injury to get a better deal.

SEPTEMBER 30: Free agent linebacker Eric Kendricks hasn’t found a home since last season ended, but that could change soon. Kendricks is visiting the Ravens, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Kendricks has logged 142 starts since entering the NFL as a second-round pick of the Vikings in 2015. He played in Minnesota through 2022, earning one All-Pro nod along the way, before joining the Chargers in 2023. That was a short-lived union, as was Kendricks’ stint with the Cowboys. He spent last year in Dallas and totaled 138 tackles (71 solo), three sacks, and two interceptions in 15 starts.

Although Kendricks’ production remained solid last season, the 33-year-old hasn’t drawn any reported attention in free agency until now. The interest from the Ravens comes with the team dealing with a slew of injuries on defense, including at linebacker. Roquan Smith suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain that will keep him out for an undetermined amount of time, which could set up a partnership between Kendricks and Baltimore.

If Kendricks does sign with the Ravens, he’d join Kyle Van Noy, 34, as one of the elder statesmen in their LB corps. The Smith-less Ravens have younger options in Teddye Buchanan, who has played just under 69 percent of snaps this year, and Trenton Simpson. While Simpson was a third-rounder in 2023, the former Clemson Tiger has been more of a factor on special teams than defense this season.

The Ravens finished their Chiefs matchup with more than half their starting defense sidelined, playing a key part in Kansas City’s 37-point showing — a game that dropped Baltimore to 1-3. Nnamdi Madubuike is not coming back as a reinforcement, being out for the season, and Marlon Humphrey is also expected to miss time.

The Ravens have relied on Smith at linebacker since acquiring him in a trade before the 2022 deadline. With Patrick Queen departing for Pittsburgh as a 2024 free agent, Baltimore is thin on reliable options on its defensive second level. He of 142 career starts, Kendricks would fit the bill as a potential plug-and-play option. But the Ravens are certainly scrambling at this point given the volume of defenders lost to injury so early in the season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/30/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Released: LB Lance Dixon

Seattle Seahawks

Ravens Sign Kenyon Green To Practice Squad

Baltimore is adding a former first-round pick to its offensive line mix. The Ravens announced that they have signed Kenyon Green to their practice squad. The team worked out Green last week, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.

Green, a former Texas A&M standout, entered the NFL as the 15th overall pick of the Texans in 2022. However, the Texas native was unable to live up to his draft status in his home state.

While Green started 14 games as a rookie, Pro Football Focus gave him a last-place grade among guards who played in 10-plus contests. The 6-foot-4, 323-pounder was unable to improve on that in 2023, instead missing the entire season with a shoulder injury. Green returned to play in 12 games (nine starts) a year ago, but the Texans moved on last offseason.

In a trade that hasn’t worked out for either side, the Texans sent Green and a fifth-rounder in last spring’s draft to the Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a sixth-rounder in 2026. Green didn’t play a regular-season game for the Eagles, though he did spend time on their practice squad before they waived him last week. Gardner-Johnson, meanwhile, lasted three games with Houston before the team released him last week.

The 24-year-old Green is now heading to his third pro organization, though he’ll have to work his way up to the active roster. The Ravens have Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele serving as starting guards, while Ben Cleveland is on the roster in a backup role.

Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, LB Roquan Smith To Miss Time

The Ravens exited Sunday’s game with a 1-3 record and a slew of injuries. Baltimore’s efforts to rebound will include missed time from multiple key defenders.

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey exited the Ravens’ loss to the Chiefs with a calf injury. The ailment is not season-ending, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Humphrey is expected to miss multiple weeks. Likewise, linebacker Roquan Smith is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain (per Rapoport). Smith is in store to miss time as well.

These updates come in the wake of head coach John Harbaugh announcing on Monday that defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike will be out for the remainder of the campaign due to a neck injury. Losing the two-time Pro Bowler for the rest of the season will deal a massive blow to the Ravens along the defensive line. Multiple games spent without Humphrey and Smith will also leave the team notably shorthanded in the secondary and at the second level.

Humphrey was limited to 10 games in 2023. Otherwise, the ninth-year veteran has largely avoided major injuries over the course of his career. Humphrey witnessed a downturn in production before setting new career highs in interceptions (six) and pass breakups (15) in 2024. Those figures helped him earn a fourth Pro Bowl invite and a spot on the first All-Pro team for the second time in his career.

The Ravens have 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins in place as a starter, although he too went down with an injury on Sunday. Baltimore signed Jaire Alexander in free agency after his release from the Packers; the oft-injured Pro Bowler has only played once this season, though, while attempting to ramp up after significant missed time in training camp. Fellow veteran Chidobe Awuzie could see an uptick in usage with Humphrey sidelined, and former fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa is another candidate for an increased workload.

Smith formed a strong partnership alongside Patrick Queen upon arriving via trade in 2022. The former Bears first-rounder has remained a foundational member of the team’s defense since Queen’s free agent departure in 2024. Smith has amassed 432 tackles and five sacks across 45 games with the Ravens, and while he has drawn criticism for his struggles in coverage the 28-year-old’s play against the run will be missed during his absence.

Baltimore has made recent draft investments at the linebacker spot in the form of Trenton Simpson (third round, 2023) and Teddye Buchanan (fourth round, 2025). The latter has handled a 69% defensive snap share early in his rookie campaign, and that will no doubt rise provided Smith remains sidelined for a notable period. Simpson is a likely candidate to take on a full-time starting role alongside Buchanan for the time being.

The Ravens have two games remaining until their bye. Given the timeline for Humphrey and Smith, both could be unavailable until after that point. As Baltimore looks to dig out of an early hole, the team will be forced to do so with a depleted unit on defense.

Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike Will Not Return In 2025

Ahead of their Week 4 game, the Ravens placed Nnamdi Madubuike on injured reserve. At the time, it remained unclear how long the Pro Bowl defensive tackle would be absent.

When speaking to the media on Monday (video link), head coach John Harbaugh revealed a return will not be taking place. Madubuike’s neck injury will leave him sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. Today’s news marks a major blow to a defense which exited Sunday with a number of high-profile injuries.

Madubuike has spent his entire career in Baltimore after entering the league in 2020. The former third-rounder emerged as an impactful player along the defensive front while playing out his rookie contract, and the franchise tag was used last offseason to ensure a free agent departure would not take place. In the end, team and player worked out a four-year, $98MM deal.

That monster pact fell in line with the surging defensive tackle market and cemented Madubuike’s status as a foundational player for the Ravens moving forward. The 27-year-old posted his third consecutive season without any missed games in 2024. Instead of that being the case once more this year, however, he will turn his attention to a lengthy recovery process. The Ravens will now move forward with a depleted D-tackle group.

Fellow starter Broderick Washington is on injured reserve, and Sunday marked the first of at least four games he will miss as a result. Travis Jones was also inactive yesterday, leading to a defensive front comprised entirely of backups against Kansas City. That setup may prove to be necessary moving forward, depending on Jones’ status. Baltimore has veterans John Jenkins and Brent Urban, along with sixth-round rookie Aeneas Peebles, in line to handle an increased workload the rest of the way.

Those depth options will not be able to replace Madubuike’s impact against the pass, however. The Texas A&M product earned second-team All-Pro honors with 13 sacks in 2023. He followed that up with 6.5 last year, leading to a second straight Pro Bowl nod. Madubuike notched a pair of sacks this year prior to being injured in Week 2.

While his attention will now turn to recovery, the 1-3 Ravens will aim to rebound on defense. Baltimore leads the league in points allowed, but making needed improvements will be challenging without Madubuike in the picture.

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations at that point.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 5:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Chicago Bears

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Detroit Lions

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Rams

Activations remaining: 8

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

New England Patriots

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

New York Jets

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Activations remaining: 8

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Washington Commanders

Activations remaining: 8

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely To Return In Week 4

SEPTEMBER 28: The Ravens are banged up at other positions (most notably the defensive line), but they will be at full strength with respect to the tight end spot. Baltimore’s list of inactives for today’s game (h/t Zrebiec) confirms Likely will indeed play.

SEPTEMBER 26: After two weeks of limited practice participation, Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had his first full practice of the regular season today. Head coach John Harbaugh was judicious with his comments, relaying that Likely “looks good,” but the team will “have to see if it’s the best thing for (them) on Sunday” for Likely to play, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Though, at the moment, they remain undecided, Harbaugh expressed hope that Likely would be able to play on Sunday, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken echoed those sentiments, per Hensley, emphasizing how Likely adds another tool to a potent Ravens offense.

Likely technically runs as TE2 behind veteran Mark Andrews, but each year, he’s shown an ability that could make him a top weapon on many other teams. His presence has been missed, too. Though the Ravens put up 81 points in their first two games, tight ends only accounted for two catches on five targets for seven yards. Andrews and Charlie Kolar got a boost in Week 3, but Likely will add another dynamic to the position group upon his eventual return.

The news is less positive for defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. After missing last week’s game, Madubuike did not participate in any practices this week as he deals with a neck injury. Harbaugh confirmed that the two-time Pro Bowler would not be available this weekend, per Hensley, and when pushed on his long-term availability, Harbaugh admitted some concern but declined to give any more information until the doctors are able to provide it to him.

Madubuike is a key piece of the Ravens pass rush with 19.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He was certainly missed on Monday as the Ravens failed to amass a single sack for the first time in 57 contests. Another reason for the defense’s struggles getting to the quarterback this past week was the absence of another key pass rusher, Kyle Van Noy.

According to Zrebiec, Van Noy returned to practice on Friday after also missing last week’s game. Van Noy’s career resurgence has seen him collect 21.5 sacks since arriving in Baltimore two years ago. After Madubuike (13.5) led the team in sacks in 2023, Van Noy (12.5) led the Ravens last year. With their two most-recent sack leaders out last week, it’s no wonder they were unable to get to Jared Goff.

Harbaugh said “it would mean a lot” to have Van Noy back on the field this weekend, per Hensley, but like with Likely, they’ll have to wait and see how Van Noy is doing come Sunday. With a matchup that usually sees offensive fireworks and heroics from Patrick Mahomes, the potential additions of Likely and Van Noy could be huge boosts for Baltimore. In the meantime, they’ll continue to gather information on Madubuike’s situation.